Ribbon inking and control thereof



June 13, 1950 R. e. CHOLLAR ETAL RIBBON INKING AND CONTROL THEREOF Filed Aug. 3, 1945 FIG. 3

1 36 lol Bnventors ROBERT G. GHOLLAR a CHARLES G. DUDIS Their (Ittorneg Patented June 13, 1950 U N! T ED? NT; 0 F Fl 2,511,148. RIBBON-LINKJNGCAND CONTROL THEREOF-1' RobertiGpGhollar and -Charles G. Dudis, Dayton,

Oh o, a signors'c o Th National C shR gist r o panygpemn Oh o a rpo ati n of M w land Ann ica i n eh es e, a N 08,

1 claim; (01. 101-336,)

7 ribbons used incash registers, ,accountingma chines, and other types-tot, I i1S i ne, -ma.fillirles.gv where itnisnecessary to obtain certain resultsaof d t o s, subtractions, q itemizing, 0151., data, the balance and/or totals thereof andpther voaleulae tion resultsin they form; of printedrecords.

. I n pdu n qs chr inted r cords it is highly desirable: that, the records the. legible at all times, z r -duoe ib e ecords n ri b ns of varie ous kinds are used, such as long endless ribbons, and strai h 'ib 0,1 S 91 5139 5; The s f t e latter typepf course, necessitate the use, ofjriba n'reve i egme h ni ma The invention is illustrated and described as applied: to: cashregisters and, accounting ,ma-u chines of the type; disclosed. ,in Letters .Patentiof the-:Unitegi States, Nos. 1,817,883 andv 1,865,147,, era dl o h r e n-Au u ,1931, and, June 28 9 2, ,res ec ire n 1 Numbe s 1,812,194 and1, 963,733,granted to SamueLBrand on June 30,1931, and-,JunelQ, lQBfL IBSPBQtiVGIY It is knownthat ribbons now omthe marke have ,to 1 be changeg ;;frequently, due, tonthe ex; a t nv 0i: ink: rough; usage. whereby the prmtedre or slsoon be om e dimandeoftem 11ee b1 And urt ermo e; the .d rt ei on 1 the moresubject itis to wear fromimpactwitn the printingtype; and such-conditions also ,necese. sitate irequentlcha n fisroi ribbons.

Felt ink rolls charged -withv dye. ink. have been used-'in the past-to re-ink ribbons but-the feltj r011s-dry 0llt'LS;Wel1 ash-the ribbons, andpraoti: p cally each; time aaf elt (ink, roll .is re-inked-to sup; ply, theribbom withnink the ribbon becomesvery much overrinked, and the result, of. such. over: inking-is anpver-inlred print, which'many times is notlegibleadue to thetieathering oi. the to such extentsas to create smears, V

F ml cha ee ithrr i m t ddnk hav 7 be n triedhut prc e lie-who ly, su e sful becau ez heniemented Ilka-h t n s i r 0 QLQ -HP the felt toesuch a,degreethat'itw will. not r k rih en nd: h i-l esu h asuchl d ti n. manimder-An ed:hrinh l 155 1 9 e bl -e V eref rein or st tqbehble topm uce pr erly inked mm edreoqrs mm cashz e sters-an accounting machines; the condition; of theink ribbon muse beficontrollediso thatithenesiredwetness -.of theribbonzoanheima ntainedat all time Tofindwaysand means to-overcomegthese tun-h desirable conditionsarelative twink-ribbons used. in cash registers andeaccountinamachinesacreeated a problem of no meanv importance and partic:

ularly so when considered. from thestandpoint of. practical manufacturing and the. maintenance of a fresh orlnewlyinked ribbonatvall times 1300133117 ate the; necessity, oif frequentrep acements j the machines are in use.

There are ,manyadvanta s. ain d .l r-rildxv d' ineawet ink ribbon. Awetl n ribbon will stand. up der he mpactslof: hamme bl wsiloneerfi than acdry ribbon, thus givingclonger.liietmthe; ribbon and consequently.permittingmthesuse oi. a,

comparatively shortendless ribbon; and; the use,

of endless ribbons, eliminates, the, use-. 0f ribbon reversing mechanism.

Moreover the h king, and the, contrglof, the ribbon'by ,.means.of,the 'present-inyention permits the use, of, pigmented inks, thus eliminating, feathering andbleeding of theprinted characters,"

or numbers...

The use ofmpigmented .ink. gives. a -;wide -varia;..

acteristics of-the printed numbers and the syn-i; -2 b01s can beproduced, that-i the intensity and,

solidness 0f the printed-members and symbols. can be properlylcont rolled-.- Theret due to frequent re-inking ofshortendlessribbons by means of areservoir, of pigmented, ink through} which theribbonasSESi ood solidprintsyhlwaysi having; thesameintensity are produced, I

the entire life ofethe ribbon.

The ribbon is given-a feeding :;movemen-t each;- time a print is made so as to alway sapresentz 110,-,

the type a freshly inked portion otthwribbon.

-" AS't'he! ribbon leavesoris-ied out'of .the reseryoir of ink, that portion? of the ribbonnaturally is the surplus ink from the ;said portionpfethe ribbon it is passed between va pair-of doctorrolls,vv

one of which rolls isrotated aohtirne a print is maple, therebyieepling the ribbon and gat-C the same time; controlling thewetness o f-- theyribbon bye n ne th e-sa squee ner th ribbon ,as it is fed by and between said doctor rolls The surfaces of-saia; rolls aremadeoi non-inlgabsorbing material which has sufiflcientrpliabilitytoteed,

the rolls is? po i ve y printed; records; are; always the-. sam,e',--that u there are; no. IfiCQIdS:PI QIJQ QaWhiC h ve S91E 2 uri 3 dim characters and some heavily inked characters or numbers.

Under the above conditions the ribbon has time to fully recover, thatis, the ink flows back into the spaces from which a portion thereof has been removed, by the act of printing.

Moreover the operator of the machine does not have to turn the ink supply on and off, as is the case with some types of re-inkers. In the instant case all that is necessary is to maintain a supply of ink in the reservoir and then the mechanism automatically controls the wetness of the ribbon at all times.

Also, due to the control of the wetness of the ribbon, there is no smearing or smudging of the characters or numbers making up a record.

Therefore, the principal object of this invention is to provide a machine, such as cash registers and/or accounting machines with wet ink ribbons, and control the wetness of such ribbons to control the intensity and legibility of the printing of records from said machine.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means for frequent re-inking of the ribbon to cause the printed records to have substantially the same intensity at all times.

A further object is to provide means to control the wetness of an endless ribbon by passing the ribbon between a pair of doctor rolls having nonink absorbing pliable surfaces and providing the proper amount of pressure to the rolls to cause them to de-ink the ribbon and equalize the distribution of the ink to all parts of the ribbon, and at the same time feed the ribbon step by step toward the printing line or lines.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of the method of inking an endless ribbon with a pigmented ink and controlling the wetness of the ribbon to produce records having good solid prints of constant intensity.

A more specific object is the provision of a reservoir of pigmented ink through which the ribbon is run, after which said ribbon is passed between a pair of rolls located within the reservoir just above the ink line, whereby the surplus ink is removed from the ribbon.

With these and incidental objects in View, the invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in appended claims, and a preferred form or embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the ribbon re-inking means, the means for feeding the ribbon step by step, and also shows the ribbon guiding means.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows, and also shows a portion of the printing means.

Fig. 3 is a detail side View of the supporting frame for the doctor rolls and shows how they are mounted, and also illustrates the ribbon tension frame.

Fig. 4 is a detail of the ribbon feeding means and its actuating means.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the doctor rolls showing how their ends flare out at the point of tangency.

Description As has been hereinbefore stated, this invention is particularly adapted for use in cash registers and. accounting machines of the type illustrated and described in the Shipley and Brand patents, the numbers of which have been previously given.

In such machines the printing mechanism is usually on the left side of the machine, by means of which a receipt or check is printed and issued, and a record is also printed on a detail or audit strip. Only a part of such printing mechanism has been shown herein, and for a more detailed illustration and description thereof reference may be had to said Shipley and Brand patents.

In Fig. 1 is shown the usual printer plate or frame which carries two hollow guide studs 2| (only one being shown) and two ribbon frame supporting studs 22. A ribbon frame 23 has two guide studs 24 adapted to enter the hollow studs 2| to locate the frame 23 and facilitate the insertion of the frame into position in the machine.

When the studs 24 of the ribbon frame 23 have been fully inserted in the hollow studs 22, tenons 25 of the studs 22 enter holes in the ribbon frame 23, and the latter is firmly secured in the machine by means of screw 26. This frame 23 is shown in dot and dash lines of Fig. 2.

Fed from the usual supply roll (not shown) is a receipt or check strip 39, guided by a guide 3| above type wheels 32, an electroplate 33, and type wheels 34. Cooperating with the type wheels and electroplate are the usual hammers 35 and 36 having printing platens 31, 38, 39, and 49. The hammer platen 31- makes impressions on the check from the wheels 32 to show the type'of transaction and the clerk or cashiers number. The platens 38 and 39 print any desired data which the merchant may wish to have printed on his check from the electroplate 33, and the platen 49 prints from the type wheels 34 the amount and any other data, such as the date and consecutive-number, depending upon the arrangement of the type Wheels according to the system desired by the owner of the machine.

Below the type wheels 34 is shown a portion of the usual detail or audit strip 4 I, a hammer 42, carrying a platen 43 for making impressions from the type wheels 34 on the audit strip 4|. An end--v less ribbon 59 carried by the ribbon frame 23 is' supported at its right end as viewed in Fig. 2 by three rolls 5!, which in turn are supported by the ribbon frame 23 and a formed ribbon guard 52, which in turn is secured to the ribbon frame 23. Rollers 53, carried by the studs 24 also help to support the ribbon 59 in horizontal position beneath the platens 31, 38, 39, and 40, and above 7 ;56 and '51 connected by a bail 68.

the platen 43, so that legible prints may be made straight, the eccentric being used to adjust the roller 54 for such purpose. A spring 63 connected to the arm 58 tends at all times to rock the ribbon tension frame clockwise, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3,-to keep the ribbon 50 taut.

From the roller 62 the ribbon 50 enters a reservoir 64 which carries pigmented ink 65 represented by the dotted lines. This reservoir 64 is supported by a frameconsisting of side plates The ribbon 59 also passes over a con- 7 These two rollers ligand 62 keep the ribbon running ,jhszshown ine-Fig. LjhiISldlBSfiOfgthBiIBSQIVOiI' 66:: areeonrztheoutsidez:ohthe platesafieandifili The; plate 6 6, is secured; tO'rathE} ribboni 7 frame; 23-111.);- screws 69, which also secure a bearing; collar-116;:

to the ribbon frame 23. The purposerofzth isgbear- 5;;

s-co ar w l ibehereinafter. explained: t A bearwcol laryl I ;,(Eigi .1 is; also, fastenedv to; the iplategs' 61 by,.=s crews ;.(not ;s how-n), and; since thesides of h r ser o 4 e e weenitlie-hearin sll, and; p1ate 6I o ons side and,.;bet,ween the plate 6 6,- -,10,. and ribbon frame 23, on;the other lside, conse quently-this .reservointi i is, securely fastened: 111: operating position for theribbon -,=56rtoi be: run: through thespigmented, ink 65, contained in said reservoir. The plates-'66 ,and. 61. each has van arm. I2 and .I3,;1.respectively;. which is forked at-its..- lower, end tor receive a rod, I4 carrying a roller I51 around; which 'the ribbon 5'6. passes after}, it leaves .tlierollen '6 21.

From ,theroller ,15, the endlessribbon 56 is fed upwardly out .of: they pigmented ink 65lbetween doctr' rolls TIE and I1 andithence over the doc; tor rollf'l l'jtoward the. previously I described' roller. 53 "to" the, p rintin ,lines above. the type wheels 32,; and i34fand the electrol printir'l p1ate33."

These doctor rolls 16 ,an'dpIIhave surfacesmade of pliable'non-ink absorbing material, such as, a pliable plastic ora synthetic rubber, so thatwhenl one of the rollers is positivelyjdriven' bymeansflto be hereinafter described, ,the pliable surfaces of these doctor rolls "I6an'd II'will feed the ribbon 56 toward-therig-ht'onitstop side as viewed in Fig. 2, or in otherwor'ds toward the type wheels 32.

The roll I1 has reduced ends I8 and I9, which ride in the bearing blocks I6 and I I previously described. The plates 66 and 67 are both formed as shown in Fig. 3 to receive the reduced ends I8 and I9 ofthe doctor roll 11. The doctor roll I6 also has reduced ends 96 and 9|, which have half-bearings in..blocks 9'2 and 93 in slots 94, formediinithe platesrBBHand EI. These blocks 92 ands 93- :are" connected by a bail 95. Pressing againstithe center ofithe .bail 95 is a strong com! pression spring 96, seated in a hole 91 in the bail 68 and backed up by a retaining plate 99 pivotally mounted on a stud 99 and arranged to latch over a stud I66, both studs being secured to the bail 69. This heavy compression spring 96, by pressing against the bail 95, causes the bearing blocks 92 and 93 to press firmly against the ends 96 and 9| of the doctor roll I6 and consequently press the doctor roll I6 tightly against the ribbon 56 and press the latter tightly against the doctor roll TI to squeeze out the surplus pi mented ink 65 on the ribbon 56 as it passes upwardly and out of the reservoir of ink 65 when the doctor roll I? is turned by means to be hereinafter described, in a step by step movement. The plates 66 and 61 are formed with the half bearings for the ends I8 and 19 to facilitate assembly and permit removal of the roll 11 if necessary. Inserted in slots I6I in the plates 66 and 61 above the ends I8 and 96 on the one hand and I9 and 93 on the other hand, of the doctor rolls I6 and IT, is a block I62.

Between each block I62 and the ends of th pliable portions of the rolls I6 and I1 is a shim V or thin plate I93 shaped to fit partly around the reduced ends of the rolls I6 and 11 (Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5). This plate I63 is made of a springy metal and has a very'slight flange I64 along its bottom edge which with the springiness of the plate I63 causes the latter to bear against that portion of the area of the pliable ends adjacenttheir tangential of the plates I63 with the rolls l6 andillswi'pes 01f any ink tfrom thezends of i'the srol-ls :during the wringinggand :feeding; of k the ribbon, Therefore; thesesplatess I 63 :prevent' any-inkfrom being rearriedzupwardlyqalong the ends of -:the rolls so that. the ink cannot reach the ribbon 56; above the:

rolls IGvrflIld-JTI: If ink were permitted to crawl or/workits-way upoVertheends of-the rolls I6 and*II-,=.such ink: would contact-the edges of the, ribbon. on, topef; the rolls-i and would bleed? acrossxthe entire width of: the. ribbon, and: over-inkz-that part of 'the ribbon which hadr beenlpcontrolled as -to its wetness."

Feeding means-f0r-do'ctor rolls The meansfor'positively driving the: doctor roll IT to cause the two rolls I6 and TI to feed the endless ribbon 56,.-and=at-the1same itime control= the wetness of the ..,ribbon vso. as) to, always present to the. printing linessae properly inked ribbon, ,will;fnowmbe described This s feeding isr-step, by, step andv take place when the -check, or I receipt stripl36 is fed by mechanism; which, is ,fully illustrated, and described; in the :above mentioned +Brand Patents N0s.- 1,812 J94 and'l,9.63,.Z33, andelso. thefShipley PatentaNo; 1,865,147; I. This feeding inechanism in thetpresentlcase is shown: ,in. Figs= 1. and. 4.

As is .fully;illustratedand described :in' the .last mentioned,v shipley, and} Brand[ patents, a. slide I I6 'frnounted to. slide,on .thestlld I I I, carriedby the frameQZBZ rand'rpivoted onta stud I I2 of a.

lever I-I3iis pivoted. on .a studrl lid Lcarried by. the

regulan sidelframe. of "the machine! (not. shown) This lever, I-I'SZcarriesrQIIers I.I'5'fand II6' cooperating with a pair of'plate cams Ill and H8; respectively secured to a printer drive shaft H9. As the shaft H9 and earns H7 and H8 make one complete counter-clockwise rotation the lever I I3 is rocked first counter-clockwise and then clockwise to its normal position, which moves the slide II6 first to the left and then back to the right, to the position shown, as above mentioned.

Pivoted on a stud I26 carried by the printer frame 26 is a bell crank I2I having a stud I22 which projects through a slot I23 in the frame 26 and into a slot I24 in the slide H6. Pivoted to the bell crank I2I is a link I25 which is also pivoted on a stud I26 carried by a ribbon feed arm I21 which is pivotally mounted on the small end I9 of the doctor roll Tl. Pivoted on the ribbon feeding arm I2I is a spring-pressed feeding pawl I29, which cooperates with a ratchet I29, which is secured to the small end I9 of the doctor roll 11. A limiting pin I36 on the arm I21 cooperates with the pawl I28 to facilitate in assembling by maintaining the pawl I26 in proper position on the arm I2I for assembling.

When the slide III) is moved to the left in the manner previously described, the bell crank I2I is rocked clockwise, which raises the link I25 and rocks the ribbon feed arm I 21 in a clockwise direction, whereupon the pawl I28, through its cooperation with the ratchet I29, rotates the ratchet I29 and consequently the end I9 of the doctor roll II and the doctor roll 11 itself in a clockwise direction one step of movement equivacontacti points, which area, istslightly extended beyond:thernormalz'lengths; of i the pliable parts of the. rolls ,I6:%-and :I1'.= duew to the: pressure applied: to .th-e:-ro'lls;to wring zout, or deink'and; feed the ribbon 56.x such contact i lent to one ratchet tooth space. This step of movement of the doctor roll 11, because of the pressure exerted by the doctor roll 16 against the ribbon 50, feeds the ribbon U upwardly between the rolls 16 and 11, as has been previously mentioned.

When the slide I I0 is moved back to the right, to the position shown in Fig. 4, the bell crank I2I is restored in a counter-clockwise direction, thus lowering the link I and rocking the arm I21 counter-clockwise to the position shown, whereupon the pawl I28 is clicked over the ratchet I29 to engage the tooth next below that from which it has just been disengaged.

To pervent any retrograde or counter-clockwise movement of the ratchet I29, and consequently the roll 11 during this restoring movement of the arm I21 and pawl I28, a retaining pawl I3I is held in contact with the ratchet 129 by a spring I32. This retaining pawl is pivotally mounted on a stud I33 carried by the printer frame 20.

From the above description it will be clear that whenever the check strip is fed by the slide III), the ratchet I29 is driven by the pawl I28 to turn the doctor roll 11 positively in a clockwise direction to cause the endless ribbon to be fed upwardly between the pair of doctor rolls I6 and 11 to remove the surplus pigmented ink from the ribbon 50 to control the wetness of the ribbin by such removing of the surplus ink through the pressure to which the ribbon 50 is subjected as it is being fed. This wringing out of the ribbon causes the ink which remains in the ribbon to be equally distributed over the ribbon so that when the ribbon reaches the printing line or lines it will always be of the same wetness, neither too wet nor too dry, so that there is always produced a record, the characters and numbers of which are alway of the same intensity and solidness.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the oneform or embodiment herein disclosed, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, all coming within the scope of the claim which follows.

What is claimed is:

In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame for supporting an endless ribbon in cooperative relation with printing means; an ink reservoir carried by'said frame to carry a supply of pigmented ink; a pair of rolls having non-ink absorbing pliable surfaces; a pair of members for supporting said rolls above the ink line in said reservoir; a bail connecting said members; an arm on each of said members and projecting into the ink in the reservoir; means supported by arms to guide the ribbon through the pigmented ink; a combined bearing and pressure means slidably mounted in said members to support one of said rolls and press it against the ribbon and the other roll; means supported by said bail for applying pressure to said combined bearing and pressure means; a feed ratchet secured to the last mentioned roll; and means to actuate the ratchet to cause the rolls to feed the ribbon out of the ink and remove surplus ink therefrom to control the wetness of that portion which has just been fed between said rolls to present said controlled. portion to the printing means to cause the printed records to always be of the same intensity and solidness.

ROBERT G. CHOLLARl CHARLES G. DUDIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 854,674 Spicer May 21, 1907 1,086,852 Post Feb. 10, 1914 r 1,094,533 Cotton Apr. 28, 1914 1,721,397 Hydeman July 16, 1929 

